Selda Bagcan

Selda Bağcan, born in 1948 in Muğla, Turkey, is a renowned singer, guitarist, and music producer, celebrated for her powerful voice and socially conscious lyrics. Starting her music journey in her childhood, she learned the mandolin and guitar before studying engineering physics at Ankara University. Her professional career began in 1971. In 1972, she represented Turkey at the Golden Orpheus competition. Throughout the 1970s, she released several albums blending folk, rock, and psychedelic music, with her politically charged songs resonating particularly with leftist activists. After the 1980 military coup in Turkey, Bağcan faced persecution for her political music and was imprisoned three times between 1981 and 1984. Her passport was confiscated until 1987, but with international support, she regained it and performed in Europe. In the following years, she continued to release albums, including Yürüyorum Dikenlerin Üstünde (1987), Denizlerin Dalgasiyim (2004) and Güvercinleri de Vururlar (2009) that consists of the track "Sana Geldim Can / Hüseyin Merhaba / Kerbela Ağıdı". Her song "Uğurlar Olsun" (1993) became an iconic anthem for political unrest in Turkey.